1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an accounting service in an switching network in which a call originating party or other specific third party is charged for using the switching network on the basis of individual information other than a telephone number of an call originating terminal when the call originating party uses the switching network such as a telephone network or the like. This invention relates more particularly to an apparatus for and method of verifying service user's information.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, there have almost been actualized switching network services. In the switching network services, when a call originating party employs an switching network through a call originating terminal such as a telephone, a facsimile and a modem, the originating party designates ID information such as ID numbers including a credit card number and a banking deposit account number, a telephone number other than a telephone number of the originating terminal, e.g., a telephone number of the originating party's own telephone subscribed and others (these items of information are hereinafter generally termed [service user's information]). The originating party is thereby allowed to post-pay the charge for using the switching network.
In this type of switching network, the service user's information designated by a subscriber is registered and managed in concentration on one database. When requesting the switching network for setting a call through the above-mentioned switching network services, it is required that a validity of the service user's information is verified.
FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a part of a conventionally existing switching network. The switching network shown in FIG. 7 supplies the subscriber who made a contract for using the network with credit card call services in which a credit card number is designated as a service user's number. In the credit card call services, a call for designating the credit card number is referred to as a credit card call.
Referring to FIG. 7, the switching network includes a plurality of local switches (LS) (2) connected respectively to a plurality of originating terminals (1).
Further, for supplying the credit card call services, this switching network is equipped with one or a plurality of toll switches (TS) (3) connected to the plurality of local switches (2) and only one database node (DBN) (4) connected to all the toll switches (TS) (3).
The database node (DBN) (4) includes a database memory (DB) (41) and a collating section (42). This database memory (DB) (41) stores items of information for verifying validity of the credit card of a subscriber (1) who makes a request for utilizing the credit card call services, such as a credit card number, a password number thereof, a validity term thereof and an inhibition-of-use treatment.
Referring again to FIG. 7, it is supposed that a subscriber who desires to set the credit card call performs calling through the originating terminal (1) and dials the credit card number and the password number in accordance with predetermined procedures. Then, the toll switch (3) transfers the credit card number and the password number received via the local switch (2) to the database node (4).
The collating section (42) in the database node (4) executes a format check as to whether or not the transferred credit card number satisfies a predetermined format. Next, the collating section (42) checks whether or not the credit card number and the password number are previously registered in the database memory (41). Next, the collating section (42) checks the validity as to whether or not the credit card number is within the validity term and does not receive the stop-of-transaction treatment. Thereafter, the database node (4) sends the checked result back to the toll switch (3). The toll switch (3), if this checked result is negative, sends a connection reject message for rejecting setting of the credit card call back to the originating terminal (1). Whereas if the checked result is affirmative, the toll switch (3) requests the originating terminal (1) for sending a telephone number of the remote terminal which is necessary for setting the call between the remote terminal and the originating terminal.
When requested for sending the telephone number of the remote terminal, the subscriber transmits a receive telephone number in the form of a push-button signal via the originating terminal (1). Then, the toll switch (3) performs known procedures for setting the call between the receiving terminal and the originating terminal.
As apparent from the discussion given above, in the verification of the service user's information in the accounting services executed in the conventional switching network, the sole database node (4) is made to execute all the format check of the credit card number sent by the subscriber requesting the credit card call through the originating terminal (1) and the check about the validity thereof. For this reason, the load is concentrated on the database node (4). Namely, its throughput to be performed increases. Consequently, there arises a problem in which the database node (4) is incapable of quickly sending the result of the check back to the toll switch (3). Further, for the same reason, if the collated result can not be sent back to the toll switch (3) because of a trouble produced in the database node (4), the switching network can not provide the credit card call services.
Note that the credit card number has a large number of digits, and, hence, there increases a possibility that the subscriber is to send a wrong credit card number. Accordingly, assigning the format check of the credit card number to the database node (4) may be a factor for the concentration of load particularly on the database node (DBN).